Adjustable push grader



ADJUSTABLE PUSH GRAD'ER Filed Jul 25, 1942- s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS v LLJiyler HTTYS 0. R. Pet ersan Sept. 24, 1946.

0'. R. PETERSON ET AL 2,408,268

ADJUSTABLE PUSH GRADER Filed July 25; 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 0. R. Peterson BY L L Egber- Sept. 24, 1 946. o. R. PETERSON ET AL 2,403,263

' ADJUSTABLE PUSH GRADER Filed July 25, 1942 i 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 a. z a 7- 22 INVENTORS 0. B. Pelenson I BY L.L.JyZer Patented Sept. 24, 1946 Hyl'er, Washington, 111., assignors to R; G.- Tourneau, Inc Stockton, Calif.,- a corporation of California H Application July25, 1942', Serial No. 452,254

This invention relates to push graders of the type known as bulldozers, and which comprise in general a transversely extending upstanding grader blade unitmounted in connection with and ahead of a tractor; such a blade unit conventionally being carriedb'y a mount,-which permits of vertical adjustment of the working height of the bladeunit, as well astilting adjustment of said unitlengthW-ise ofthe tractor.

The principal object of this invention is to provide apush grader having a grader blade unit mount which incl'l ides unique'means operative toselectively efifect tilting ofthe blade unit lengthwise of the tractor, i. exforw'ardly or backwardlyj or transversely of the tractor to impart a trans verse slope to 'tlieblade tinit as'is desirable for certain types'of work. 4

Another object of theinvention is to provide novel: tilt control--'mechanisms arranged with the grader blade unit mount and designed so that tilting adjustmentof the grader blade unit, even from extreme positions, can be accomplished by the tractor operator quickly, easily, andwithout the use of tools; this'feature being of substantial advantage where the implement is used; on a job requiring varied and frequent adjustments of the working position of'the grader'blade unit.

An additional obj ectis to incorporate, with the grader blade unit mount, tilt control mechanisms each of which includes ai -substantially horizontal, longitudinally extending spindle pivoted toand projecting rearwardly'frorn the; grader blade unit ad'jacentoneend, a gear surrounding the spindle and having an axially immovable hub threaded ons'aid spindle, a pinion meshing indriving relation with the gear, and manually controlled means to effect rotation of said pinion; said means including, in one embodiment, a hand crank. In another embodiment said means includes a separate electric m'otor'for and arranged in driving connection with each pinion; operation of the motors being selectively controlled by the operator on the tractor.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects we accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

3 Claims. ((31.37-144") ofthe adjustable pushgrader as mounted in connection with anendless track tractor.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of the graderbladeunit and its mount; the adjacent tilt control mechanismbeing shown in section. i I

Figure 3 is" a plan view of the-adjustable'push grader.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on' the drawings, the numeral l indicates a pair of forwardly extending transversely spaced push beams' disposed on opposite sides and projecting some distance ahead of the tractor, which is indicated generally at 2. At their rear-ends the push beams l are connected with corresponding upstanding side plates 3 intermediate the ends of the latter by means of universal joints of ball and socket type; said joints comprising ball-like trunnions 4" secured to plates 3, and socket members 5 fixed on the push beams and engaging said trunnions. The side plates 3 are secured in facing relation to the corresponding side frames 6 of the tractor.

A grader' blade unit isdisposed ahead or the forward'ends of the push beams I and extends, in upstanding position, transversely therebetween: said grader blade unit comprising a forwardly facing, concave back plate I fitted at its lower edge with a transversely extending ground 7 cutting and scraping blade 8'.

At each end the plate 1' is fitted in? rigid relation with a pair of transversely and somewhat spaced plates forming end wings 9 which project both forwardly and rearwardl relative to said'back plate 1; The upper edge of back plate 7 is" secured to a transverse box beam It wnicn'extends from side to side of the grader-blade unit and is secured at its ends to thoend win s'a. The grader blade unit also. includes, adjacent its lower edge, anon-- zontalg transversely extendingbase plate I I which projects rearwardly some distance, and another transverse plate I! extends from the rear edge of plate I l at an upward and forward incline to connection with plate 1 some distance above plate ll; the'plates H and i2 serving as reinforcin members.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,

At their forward ends the push beams l are fitted with forwardly projecting ears l3 which extend between the adjacent pairs of end wing plates adjacent the bottom and are secured therebetween by horizontal cross pins I4. Diagonal braces 15 extend between the push beams and the grader blade unit reinforcing plate l2; .said braces being pivoted at their ends in connection with said push beams and plate l2 for vertical swinging movement. The braces l each include a compensating connection l6. Vertical posts I! are mounted in rigid connection with and upstand from the push beams i adjacent the forward ends of the latter, and are braced by members l8.

Each post at its upper end is fitted with a horizontal longitudinally extending housing l9 into which a spindle 20 slidably projects from the forward end of said housing. Said spindles ahead of housings l9 are each formed with a clevis 2| whose axis is horizontal. A short link 22 is pivoted in each clevis 2| by a horizontal cross pin 23; the link extending forwardly fromthe clevis some distance and being engaged between the adjacent end wing plates. A horizontal cross pin 24 secures each of said links 22 between-the corresponding Wing plates.

Each spindle 20, within its housing 19, is threaded as at 25 and a gear 25 surrounds such threaded portion and includes a hub 21 threaded thereon. Each housing 19 is enlarged as at 28 to form a gear case, such case engaging opposite face of the gear and preventing axial movement thereof. A drive pinion 29 is disposed in each gear case 28 in mesh with the corresponding gear 25; each pinion including a pinion shaft 30 which projects horizontally and rearwardly from the gear case. Each shaft 3fl at its rear end is fitted, in the embodiment of Figs. 1-3, inclusive, with a hand crank 3|.

The grader blade unit centrally of its ends and back of plate I is fitted with an upstanding elongated link 32 which is pivoted at its lower end by pin P between attachment member 33 for swinging movement in a vertical plane transversely of. the implement. The members 33 are suitably mounted in connection with the reinforcing plates II and I2.

Adjacent its upper end the link 32 extends through a transverse slot formed by a guide 34 which permits of transverse swinging movement of the link, but maintains the same against rocking movement lengthwise of the tractor. At its upper end and above guide 34 the link i fitted with a pivotally mounted cable anchor 35 to which is attached the lift cable 36. This lift cable extends upwardly over a direction changing sheave (not shown) on a conventional A-frame carried by the tractor; a portion of which A-frame is indicated at 31. The cable 6 is actuated from a conventional power winch on the tractor.

In use of the above described implement, tilting ofthe graderblade unit lengthwise of the tractor is accomplished easilyand quickly by the operator through the medium of the cranks 3|, rotation of both of said cranks in the same direction effecting either an advancing or retracting movement of spindles 2B, which results in the desired forward or rearward tilt of the grader blade unit.

When it is desired to tilt the grader blade unit transversely of the tractor, one crank is rotated in one direction, and the other crank is rotated in an opposite direction. This results in opposite movement of spindles 20, which produces a tendency to drop one push beam at its rearmost trunnion point and to raise the other beam at said point. Inasmuch as these points are pivotally fixed, this urge is satisfied at the grader blade unit, resulting in lifting of one corner of the same from the ground and transverse angular positioning of said unit.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that we hav produced such a device as substantially fulfill the objects of the invention as set forth-herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device,

still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. 7 I

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a push grader, a pair of transversely spaced push beams, a transverse grader blade unit ahead of and pivoted to said push beams for tilting movement lengthwise of the direction of travel, means between the blade unit and push beams to control transverse tilting of said unit, and a blade unit lifting link disposed centrally of the ends of the blade unit and pivoted thereto at the back and adjacent its lower edge for trans- Verse swinging movement, said linkextending upwardto a point above the bladeunit and being adapted at its upper end for connection witha lifting cable.

2. A structure as in claim 1 including a guide member mounted on the blade unit at the back; said member forming an elongated transverse slot through which the link projects.

3. In a push grader, a pair of transversely spaced push beams, a transverse grader blade unit ahead of and pivoted to said push beams for tilting movement lengthwise of the direction of travel, transversely spaced tilt control mechanisms connected between said grader blade unit and corresponding push beams, said mechanisms each being operative to impart a-forward, or rearward,tilting force to the grader blade, universal joints on the push beams adjacent their rear ends, one part of said joints being adapted for rigid connection witha tractor, a transversely swingable lifting link pivoted to said blade unit intermediate its ends, and means adapted to connect a lift cable to said link at its upper end.

OSCAR RAYMOND PETERSON. LOIELL L. HYLER. 

